TEHRAN – Ali Rabiei, the spokesperson for the Rouhani government, asserted on Tuesday that a renegotiation of the 2015 nuclear deal is “impossible”, stressing that the fulfilment of commitments, and no talks, is the only path forward.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Rabiei dismissed the idea raised by some Western officials about renegotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying, "Renegotiation of the JCPOA is impossible, as Iran, China, and Russia have expressed their opposition (to such a suggestion)".

He also reminded the Western states that returning to the nuclear deal and fulfilling obligations do not need any negotiations, according to the Tasnim news agency.

"If the incoming U.S. administration abandons its predecessor's policies, the parties can honor the JCPOA without the need for renegotiation," Rabiei added.

Under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the JCPOA, Iran agreed to put limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for termination of economic and financial sanctions.

However, the outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the JCPOA unilaterally in May 2018 and imposed harshest ever sanctions against Iran in line with his administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran.

The nuclear deal was signed when president-elect Joe Biden was acting as vice president under the Obama administration. However, as hopes have been raised for revitalization the multilateral deal under the incoming Biden administration, some Western officials and figures like German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger have been pushing for revising the text of the deal.

AJ/PA